The function of a motorcycle transport stand is to secure a motorcycle while it is being transported. In most cases, a motorcycle is transported on the bed of a motor vehicle such as a truck or trailer. There are a number of different motorcycle transport stands.
One type of motorcycle transport stand clamps on the front wheel of a motorcycle. Typically, elastic and non-elastic straps are used in conjunction with a front wheel transport stand to tie down and further secure the motorcycle.
Some motorcycle transport stands secure the rear wheel of a motorcycle. One known transport stand incorporates ramps which engage opposite sides of an axle rod projecting from the axle or hub of a motorcycle rear wheel to enable the user to raise the rear wheel off the ground and thereafter secure the axle rod within the stand.
In order to accommodate motorcycles having rear wheels with different widths, spacers are added to the opposite sides of the axle rod to prevent excessive lateral movement of the rear wheel when the axle rod is secured within the transport stand. Since the distance between the sides of the transport stand are fixed, the motorcycle rear wheel and the axle rod and spacers projecting from opposite sides of the hub must be precisely centered as the axle rod moves up the ramps to a secured position in which the opposite sides of the axle rod are clamped to the transport stand. Because of the weight of the motorcycle and the difficulty in moving the axle rod which bears the weight of the rear end of the motorcycle up the ramps to a secured position, it is sometimes necessary to make repeated attempts to precisely align or center the motorcycle rear wheel within the transport stand.
It is desirable to provide a rear wheel engaging motorcycle transport stand that can accommodate mis-alignment of a motorcycle rear wheel and its axle rod and spacers, that is self aligning and that allows the user to easily elevate the rear wheel of a motorcycle and secure it in a position within the transport stand.